Excerpt: Nesta sat up halfway in bed, resting her weight on her arms. "Let us wed at the end of the next battle."

"Aye." Mabon smiled broadly. "Will ye wait for me?"

"Wait for ye?" A puzzled look crossed her face and she sat up completely.

Mabon sat up as well. "Aye. I will go to fight for Arthur, our troops and Hoel's. I will not wait for ye. I will ride to that battle as well."

"Nay." Mabon smiled as if he thought she was joking. He shook his head. "What say ye?"

"I swore to fight with Arthur." Nesta folded her arms across her chest. "We spoke of this afore."

Mabon leaned closer to her. "Aye but now ye have pledged to wed me. Ye would not place yourself in danger after ye vowed to marry me. After ye agreed to build a life, a future with me."

Nesta let out a huff of breath. "Oh, so ye will not be fighting either."

"Aye, I will go off to battle, 'tis what I do. I must. I am the Tribunus Laticlavius. Ye know this."

"So ye asked me to wed ye, to build a new life, a new future, knowing ye would ride off to war." Nesta jerked her head. "And I should say naught."

"Aye. 'Tis my duty to fight for my king."

"And ye think my duty is less?"

"Nay, but we speak of my duty which before serving my king is to care for and protect my wife. At least it will be so once I am your husband."

"Is that so?" Nesta's temper flared with the thought that Mabon didn't care about her feelings. "And I will be your wife. And my place is no less than yours. I assure ye of that. I should be able to take care of ye as much as ye take care of me. Mayhap more. " She dropped her arms to her side only to yank the cover up to hide her bare breast from Mabon's eyes.

"I have found ye, found love for the first time in my life." A lump formed in Mabon's throat. He swallowed. "What if something happened to ye?"

"And I have found love for the second time. Which means I had to endure the pain of losing it once. Losing Gwydion. What should happen to me if I have to suffer through that loss again?"

"I am second in command of the army under Arthur."

"Fine. Fight if ye must but understand that my duty is no less than yours. I will fight as well." Nesta swung her feet to the floor as she pulled the bratt with her. She stood, pulling the plaid wool tightly around her.